Silencing the Social in Social Media

("Quitting Social Media" happenings.Ipn.in)

Over the last two days I have tried very hard to not use social media and to shut it out of my life—completely disconnecting—and it was practically impossible. Not only could I not see things posted that other friends were talking about through text messages, but I had to hear about things much later than I otherwise would have. I’ll be completely transparent here… I didn’t make it through a full 24 hours, which made me realize how deeply entrenched I am in the world of social media and its prevalence on each of my devices. My failure at the social media shutoff got me thinking about those I know that do not use any social media. Surprisingly…. Not my grandparents! My brother. Therefore, I asked him several questions about why he chooses to not use social media.

Why do you not use social media? Do you feel a social media shut off has benefitted you and why? How do you connect with others online, or keep in touch with those in certain networks? Is there anything specific that you do use?

By shutting off social media, I have regained the lost art of interpersonal communication. That’s my secret! I was spending the bulk of my day hunched over my device viewing life’s experiences through other people’s lenses. I value my privacy all too much to post my life for the world to see. Social media makes life’s moments seem artificial… idk living a life without social media works for me, and I speak on my behalf only. I understand pro-social media advocates’ perspective(s), I was one for a long time. To each their own.

(Chase Elder, personal interview, 2018)

While I found the task of shutting social media off a challenging one, my brother finds it an easy one. I appreciated what he had to say about viewing life’s pleasures through the lens of others, rather than living and experiencing life through our own… sparking the connection to when I go to concerts and find that more and more people are recording the concert(s) through their phone cameras connected to social media, rather than actually experiencing and appreciating the moment for what it is. I would agree that social media does have its benefits, but it is also important to live without constantly trying to represent a moment in a solitary image, but rather, letting it live on its own as a fond memory or passing fancy. I, personally, love being able to simultaneously share in the lives of everyone I know and have known, but can see how privacy goes a long way when you do not want people to know everything about you and what is currently going on in your life.